The present invention relates generally to partition wall unit constructions for industrial buildings. In particular, the invention relates to a new wall panel system which is intended to replace temporary walls of concrete block or stud and wallboard conventionally used to provide walls or partitions in building structures.
Where it has been desired to erect temporary walls or partitions in industrial type buildings, it has been the conventional practice to make such walls from concrete blocks mortared together or to set up a framework of metal studs covered by wallboard panels. Aside from the rising costs of such materials, those types of construction require highly skilled labor. It is also difficult to salvage the materials when the walls are to be taken down or moved. Oftentimes, it is less costly, quicker and simplier to break such walls apart and start all over with fresh materials.
Previous attempts have been made to provide alternatives employing specially devised components that can be fitted together or assembled on the site. A particularly relevant construction of that type is shown in Wiebusch U.S. Pat. No. 3,350,824 issued Nov. 7, 1967, now expired. In the Wiebusch patent, a wall unit construction was made up from spaced H-shaped and corner shaped concrete beams set up vertically with preformed filler pieces or panels that were snugly inserted from the top in a stacked arrangement between the beams to form the wall. Other such arrangements for assemblable wall constructions have been disclosed, for example, in Reeves U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,591,993; Mote 3,124,222 and Robinson, et al. 1,998,688.
Insofar as I am aware or have been able to ascertain from construction industry practices, none of the foregoing have shown up to achieve widespread or common usage to replace the aforementioned conventional concrete block or stud and wallboard constructions. While I can only speculate as to the reasons for such arrangements having failed to gain any noticable acceptance, it may be due to such factors as costs of the components, complexities or skill required in assembly and lack of any real ease to dissemble for a true temporary construction with salvageable components.